What Happens When You Mix Water and Light?
by Dumbothepatronus
Summary: Luna's research on the Bowtruckles and their tree preferences leads her to a tree that shares the peaceful aura of her favorite research companion. Once he finds his way to her side, will he work up the courage to find his way to her heart? One-Shot.


Written For Quidditch Leauge, Falmouth Falcons

Beater 2 Prompt: Write a fic set somewhere surrounded by nature.

Optional Prompts:

Creature: Bowtruckle

Color: Mustard

Action: Writing

**Thank you to my wonderful teammates and captain for beta-ing this for me! You are all the very best.**

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

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"Oh, there you are." Luna Lovegood smiled serenely as she raised her hand to trace a faint trail of mustard yellow in the air in front of an ancient Wych elm. "I thought I could feel your river energy."

She wiped a trickle of sweat from her brow as she considered the twisting, flowing stream of light that led through the thick trees of the Norway Spruce Habitat. This was her favorite forest to search for Bowtruckles—it was so far removed from the Muggle cities, shielded by mountains and sea, that she had more success here than anywhere else in Europe.

Her own aura, sparking outwards in crystal-blue beams of light, bounced off of the pine needles and birch leaves as she skipped through the underbrush towards the source of the yellow light.

Not many beings, she had found in her years of study, possessed the magical aura that surrounded humans. She wished it were that easy. If she could follow the aura of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack, she would have found one ages ago. No, the only beings she had discovered that shared this trait were the spirits of wand-wood trees.

The mustard trail continued, steady flowing, slowly thickening until it reached the source—a hazel tree strongly rooted next to a bubbling stream. Yes, she could see why magic had chosen this tree. The adjacent stream gave nourishment and peace; the ground below was welcoming and connected. This tree's wand would choose a soft and steady witch or wizard.

She lifted her eyes to its dense branches and squinted through the heart-shaped leaves in search of the tiny creatures hidden among the shadows.

Nothing yet, but no matter; Bowtruckles were notoriously shy. She settled onto the warm earth beneath the tree and pulled her notebook out of her backpack. While she waited, she could jot down the coordinates of the tree and make notes on the overall shape, location, and direction of the energy flow.

She was so engrossed in her writing, she didn't feel the increase in the river energy surrounding her. It was only when the soft crunch of pine needles under heavy hiking boots stopped right behind her that she realized she wasn't alone.

She closed her eyes and savored the warmth under her ribs at the familiar presence. "You're welcome to share my Bowtruckle tree. It might draw them out. This tree is especially attuned to Hufflepuffs."

River energy flooded the air, filling the forest with the quiet peacefulness she had come to associate with it. A soft thud muffled the scratch of her quill as he settled in next to her. "How did you know it was me?"

She smiled to herself; she could pick him out of a room of thousands without ever laying eyes on his warm brown hair or his softly tapered cheeks. "Your energy is blinding."

It was so pervasive now, even the dirt was tinged in yellow light; her own blue sparkles barely registered against the flow of his aura with the tree's.

"My energy? And this tree? I think you know something I don't know." Warm, steady hands reached into the side pocket of his robes and pulled out a sketch-book nearly identical to Luna's, but with a leather cover that contrasted against the shiny navy blue of her own.

Auras weren't something she generally discussed with other people. She had tried it once, in her first year at Hogwarts, when the castle walls had sparkled with radiant blue light from the combined sunshine energy of the Ravenclaw students. But she had quickly realized that the others couldn't see what she saw and resented her for it.

But Rolf Scamander—Rolf Scamander was somebody who Luna had grown to trust—to admire. He was never jealous, never condescending. Many times they had sat side-by-side on mossy boulders or grassy plains, writing and sketching in their twin journals, informing each other on the magical species they studied.

Her eyes drifted to where his beautiful aura flowed into the tree as she spoke. "Most Hufflepuffs have river energy. It's a lovely, warm mustard yellow." She traced the trail through the air. "Your magic calls to this tree. Your energy matches."

Rolf's eyes followed her finger before they dropped back down to her wide-open face. "And what is your energy like?"

"I have sunshine energy. Bouncy and scattered. Sunshine seeks to illuminate and discover. But rivers seek to connect and bring comfort. Can you feel it, if you close your eyes?"

Clitter-clack-clitter-clitter

Luna put one hand over Rolf's and her other to her lips. A spindly creature the size of a paper doll tiptoed towards them on tree-bark legs. Her eyes widened. This was the closest she had ever come to a Bowtruckle from a river tree.

Of the four energies, river Bowtruckles were the most reserved. She had interacted with many sunshine creatures—those were the easiest. They sensed her energy and were immediately curious to meet the being that matched their beloved tree.

Fire energy Bowtruckles tended to scold her and shoo her away, not bothering to determine her intention. Lake energy was her favorite, as they loved to pose and preen. She had a whole section devoted to sketches of them.

She watched as the tiny creature approached Rolf. Its movements were smooth, languid—exactly what she would have expected.

Her quill scratched out a syncopated rhythm against the page as she sketched the scene, focusing on the movement from Rolf's energy, and the way it joined together with the hazel tree. Rolf had the Bowtruckle poised on his outstretched hand. It peered into his eyes with an ancient gaze that seemed to absorb every flicker of light.

Luna sketched the sparkles from her own aura, smiling at the way it bounced off the warm light of Rolf's. Her wand set color and movement to the drawing, and she flipped it to show him. "You see? River energy."

Rolf traced his finger over the streams in her drawing and paused it over the outburst of icy blue over the sketch of her face. "That's exactly how you feel to me. Brilliant, beautiful—radiant."

He set the Bowtruckle onto his shoulder and slid her sketchbook out of her hands and into his lap. "What happens when you mix sunshine and river energy together?"

Luna tapped her finger to her chin. "Well, it wouldn't really work out. I need to study it more, but I think you'd feel either a heaviness or a frenetic energy." She hummed. "I'll have to consult with Ollivander on the subject." She doubted Ollivander could see auras, but he did have a fantastic memory for all the wands he gave out. She could probably compare his observations to the class lists at Hogwarts since auras were so closely related to house sortings.

"Oh." Rolf's shoulders sank. He placed her journal back into her lap and lifted his hand to retrieve the Bowtruckle from his shoulder.

"Don't worry—there's so much river energy to choose from."

"But what if I don't want river? Why can't I have sunshine?"

"You can only have a wand whose parent tree shares your aura unless you win it from somebody else. Otherwise, it won't work properly."

Rolf's jaw dropped for a moment before he shook his head and snapped it back into place. He tentatively reached for her hands and enveloped them in his own. "Luna. I wasn't talking about wands."

Her head tilted to the side. "If the Bowtruckles have auras of their own, I can't see them, but their personalities match the energy of the trees they guard. I think if you tried to relocate them, they'd either journey until they found a tree of their preference or adapt to the energy of that tree. That would be an interesting experiment. I wonder if the—"

Rolf's hands came up and squeezed her shoulders. "A beautiful, imaginative sunshine energy witch with a humble river energy wizard—what happens when you mix water and light?"

Oh. He meant—oh. Her heart floated and a small smile graced her lips. "I can see my light bouncing off the ripples of your water. Your river reflects it, and my sunshine highlights your high points and casts shadows on the lows. It's breathtaking."

His hands traveled up to the sides of her face. "Even though I can't see it, it's always felt spectacular to me."

Luna had never kissed anyone before. The feel of his lips against hers was lovely, but even with her stomach bubbling and her skin tingling, she found it difficult to focus on the physical sensations when her magic was bouncing so gleefully over his. Bowtruckles forgotten, she found herself lost in the mixing of water and light; mustard and aqua. She could continue her research later. This magic was much more compelling.


End file.
